Study of mid-day meal programmed on the nutritional status of school going children

Abstract

In this paper the School Mid-Day Meal (MDM) was introduced by Government of India in year 1995 by the name National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE) as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. The aim of the initiative was to enhance school enrollment, student retention, student attendance and improve nutritional status of children. Comparison of nutritional status of boys before and after the introduction of the MDM program reveled improved nutritional status. Percentage of stunting and grade 3 malnutrition had reduced in all age groups except among 6 years. The inter gender comparison of the heights before and after the MDM programme showed, a greater proportion of girls were stunted before the MDM programme. Post MDM there was reduction in the proportion of stunting and in addition was a reduction in the proportion of children with under nutrition. The improvement in the nutritional status post MDM in girls was more